zachleft

In the market for some locks. For the main frame lock I'm deciding between a Kryptonite New York and Kryptonite Evolution Mini 7 for a slightly smaller shackle.

But I think I'd like to expand beyond that and scoop some wheel skewers for extra protection. I've done some research and narrowed it down to these:

- Styx Aero skewers: I'm not entirely sure if they're meant to be for security but they're opened with a torx screwdriver which I can't imagine is that common, but idk

- Hexlox skewers: these seem to be a solid option but there's this video of someone removing the magnet with two screwdrivers though idk how patient some thieves would be for something like that

- Delta Cycle Knoxnut: thought these looked interesting but I couldn't find much information about them online and they're a lot cheaper than the other options

- Pitlock skewers: these certainly seem to be the standard but the most expensive option

Would love to hear if anyone has any experience using any of these systems or any other recommendations are welcome as well

CargoDane

Torx bolts are everywhere. But what any bolt does as opposed to a simply lever is stop people from stealing your wheel on a whim unless they have tools with them.
I don't have any opinion on the rest, but as I was looking for some torx bolts/nuts for my front wheel, I thank you for that link as I have never heard of them before.

But to give a little back:
Kryptonite also have some bolts (and skewers). Their "Gravity" line. They can't be loosened unless the bike is turned upside down. So if you leave your bike locked to something that prevents the bike from being turned upside down, it is difficult to remove them. I have them on my Rohloff hub at the back (the "wheel nutz").

https://www.kryptonitelock.com/conte...l?type=bicycle

https://www.kryptonitelock.com/conte...l?type=bicycle

nlerner

I have a set of these V-O ones, which require a special Allen wrench:

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...-theft-skewers

perhaps the least expensive of the various options.

Vintage_Cyclist

I've got these also, for my errand bike. Another layer beyond using a U lock for the main triangle/rear wheel and one of those seat leashes with a small padlock through the frame and front wheel. Also put a seatpost security bolt and seatpost binder on. It's a scratched-the-hell up Motobecane Super Mirage, so I don't expect anyone to try and steal it, just wanted to deter the opportunistic a-holes looting it.

zachleft

Hmm I like the price on these, but these seem lie they'd be easy to unscrew, no?

nlerner

Only if you have the Allen wrench specific to those skewers.

unworthy1

Which most thieves won't be carrying but that "center-pin" Allen wrench is easy enough to find at any well-stocked hardware store. Which means a well-stocked thief may eventually catch on and add it to his dirty deed tool-kit. And Torx is becoming almost as common as a Phillips driver, these days, so would not be too confident about that providing much protection.

Cyclist0108

Any deterrent helps.

I had someone steal the quick-release skewers out of my wheels once while it (including the wheels) was parked and locked, presumably to disable the bike so that I would leave it overnight, where the thief could come back to finish the job under cover of darkness.

noglider 

It helps to know what thieves carry. I've learned they do carry cable cutters but do not carry simple wrenches. This is bizarre but appears to be true.

Vintage_Cyclist

Think defense in depth. Multiple defenses and causing thieves to need more time to remove anything.

I once caught some cretin trying to remove a rear rack. He ran off when I confronted him. After that the attachment screws were all different. Phillips, bladed, torx and a nutted bolt. There's only so many tools these guys are going to carry.

Those Velo Orange skewers, coupled with a lock, give your wheels two lines of defense.

ZudeJammer

not a skewer but I had a security penta nut (no pin) on my seatpost and it got stolen

3alarmer 

.
...the problem with most security skewers is that they use alloy rods. If you have a bike with horizontal dropouts, and you exert any kind of aggressive push on the pedals, it's hard to get them tight enough to hold your rear wheel in position unless you have vertical dropouts, where they work fine. Tighten them too far wth an alloy rod, and they strip.

noglider 

@Vintage_Cyclist, that is a clever idea to use different bolt heads.

Vintage_Cyclist

It's a constant game of one-upmanship with these thieving dirtbags.

That's also the main reason I got the security skewers, I wasn't that concerned about the old wheels I had on my Super Mirage; I always used to drop the front wheel and lock it up with the frame and rear with the U-lock. Then one day someone took my skewers off the wheels. Probably went on eBay or CL.

Headpost

The pinhead stuff is expensive but seems to work very well. I see a lot of it here in NYC. The "skewers" are alloy, though, and I've never tried them with anything except vertical dropouts. They also make similar locking nuts for solid axles, which I've also used but only for front wheels. These could offer a solution for horizontal dropouts if you're willing/able to switch to solid axles.

C9H13N 

I set up my grocery getter with a solid front axle and Pinhead nuts. It was easy piece of mind with no concerns about alloy skewers.

I lock the rear wheel with the frame so I don’t care about the rear QR skewer.